Ten Years After
by theOVERMAN
Summary: Lyra sit in the Oxford gardens thinking about Will and her will to make a change in her life. Spoilers if you havent read Amber Spyglass.


Disclaimer: I wish I knew what I was disclaiming.

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Lyra sat on her favorite bench, in her favorite place, thinking about her favorite person. Will. Oh how much she missed him. It was ten years to the day since she last saw his face. She was now twenty three years old. A full grown woman. Though, even with her new found woman hood, she still had the awkward innocence of an adolescent.

Pan sat still next to her, his head resting on her lap. She brought her hand down to scratch behind his ears. He emitted a soft purring noise. And so they sat content in this silence and each others company.

Lyra knew Pan could sense her thoughts. Neither of them had been the same after that long and winding journey that had happened when she was just twelve. For various reasons. Lyra herself had not been so close with a boy since Will and has certainly not kissed one. She had watched all her female friends go off into relations with boys and had denied more than one boy herself.

Though she did acknowledge the pact that she had made Will and herself make, she could not help but comparing every boy in her sight to him. Always noticing how his hair stuck out in a way so like Will's, or how that boy over there had a dimple in the same spot as Will did. Or she could notice how one boy acted so differently than her first love that she wouldn't even consider him. Even if it were a competition between the boy and a pig.

Lyra had gown into a very pretty girl. She was clever and devilishly persuasive and a gifted liar to boot. Almost a spitting image of her mother. So, more than one boy was left disappointed due to Lyra's rejection.

Pan thought her silly. Of course he did. He's Pan. Reasonable, knowledgeable, omniscient, Pan. Gosh, with all his understanding and smarts it's a wonder he hasn't told all the scholars and proffesors how to do their jobs. But then again, he would know that they wouldn't enjoy that very much. Always thinking, that Pan.

But, suppose Lyra did decide to invest in a boy or two. Suppose she is just being silly. Suppose Pan is right. Maybe she should get out more often. She already knew that she would not see Will until the afterlife. In that area she is sure. Once she became absolutely reliable with the Aelethiometer it was the first thing she asked it. The answer was so clear, a blind man could have read it. But even though her hopes of seeing his lively eyes and feeling his warm flesh were dashed, she still asked about him. Whenever it struck her fancy I suppose. He is safe. His mother passed away a couple of year ago. He is going to Exeter College in Oxford. And he still thinks about her.

That was all that really mattered to Lyra, that he remembered her. So absorbed in her thoughts was she, that Lyra failed to notice a young man taking a seat to her left on the bench. It was only when Pan nudged her with his nose that she looked up.

The young man was lanky looking and skinny. He had waspish blonde hair that looked as if the wind had just blown through it. His skin had scars from acne and his eyes were a dull brown. He was nothing magnificent. But what really caught Lyra's eye was that he was reading. Or so it seemed. His eyes weren't moving and the book had the appeareance of being upside down.

The young man seemed to know Lyra was staring at him and his eyes darted to her and back to his book where they remained motionless.

Lyra recongised him as being two years older than her in Jordan. She had seen him in the library and the dining hall.

Quite suddenly he cleared his throat and looked as if he had swallowed a grape whole. His eyes darted to her once more. He seemed to be gathering his courage. Poor fellow. Lyra figured that he was going to talk to her but was befuddled because she just could not understand why he was having such a hard time taking the initiative.

"Lovely day isn't it?" croaked the young man.

"Yes, quite." said Lyra amiably, "Do you not find it quite agreeable?" My, what a lady she has become.

"It is rather fine." He replied with the look of swallowing a grape, again.

And very suddenly he stood and offered his hand for her to shake.

"I'm Henry. And I was wondering if I could trouble you with a cup of tea or perhaps a stroll around the garden?" He said this with the most peculiar facial expression, as if he were trying to say it as fast as he could and save face at the same time.

What a poor soul, so unlike brave Will. _Stop_. Lyra shook her head to rid herself of these thoughts. She really should head to her daemons advice. But the poor boy, seeing her shake her head, takes it as rejection. Henry's face pales and he says in a very sorrowful voice, "Well good day to you then." And walks swiftly in another direction.

"Henry," Lyra says standing to walk after him, "I should like very much to share a cup of tea with you."

Henry's face brightens and he offers her his arm. Lyra takes it in a most cautious way. She looks back at Pan and gestures for him to come as well. And so they set off, on a very different journey than last time.

Fin.

**A/N: Oh golly, it has been so long since I last wrote. This really happened on a whim. It was originally going to be some depressing Harry Potter fanfic where I mourn Fred through Hermione or something ridiculous like that. So I decided to let Lyra miss Will and then meet another boy called Henry. Looking back, I see odd similaritys between this story and my other, Alone with the Moon. Both missing someone, meeting someone else… blah blah blah. I need to get into original stories. I really try with fanfics though. Reviewers though, I want your honest opinions. And don't flame if you're not going to offer constructive criticism. It is the most bothersome review then and I shall probably feel the urge to delete it. But yes, I hope you all take time to review my story. If not, I appreciate it that you read it at all and that you're reading this right now. I really do ramble. So I should stop. Bye.**

**Oh, and do let me know if this is even an acceptable story. I shall probably have to go back and fix it. **


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